Dahlia plant named ‘Gallery Sisley’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Dahlia  plant named ‘Gallery Sisley’, characterized by its compact and rounded plant habit; freely branching growth habit; dark green-colored leaves; early and freely flowering habit; decorative inflorescence form; large inflorescences with red purple-colored ray florets; and good postproduction longevity and garden performance.

Botanical designation: Dahlia hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Gallery Sisley’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dahliaplant, botanically known as Dahlia hybrida and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Gallery Sisley’.

The new Dahlia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Lisse, The Netherlands. The objective of the breedingprogram is to create new potted Dahlia cultivars with compact planthabit, freely branching growth habit, early and freely flowering habit,decorative inflorescence form, attractive ray floret coloration, andgood postproduction longevity and garden performance.

The new Dahlia originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventorduring 2000 of the Dahlia cultivar Gallery Monet, disclosed in U.S.Plant Pat. No. 12,284, as the female, or seed, parent with the Dahliacultivar Gallery Art Nouveau, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,314,as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Dahlia was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progenyof the stated cross-pollination grown in a controlled environment inLisse, The Netherlands, during the summer of 2001. The selection of thisplant was based on its unique ray floret coloration.

Asexual reproduction of the new Dahlia by cuttings was first conductedin Lisse, The Netherlands during the spring of 2001. Asexualreproduction by cuttings has shown that the unique features of this newDahlia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Gallery Sisley has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Gallery Sisley’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Gallery Sisley’ as a new and distinct Dahliacultivar:

-   -   1. Compact and rounded plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching growth habit.    -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.    -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   5. Decorative inflorescence form.    -   6. Large inflorescences with red purple-colored ray florets.    -   7. Good postproduction longevity and garden performance.

Plants of the new Dahlia differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent, the cultivar Gallery Monet, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dahlia flower earlier than plants of the        cultivar Gallery Monet.    -   2. Plants of the new Dahlia are more freely flowering than        plants of the cultivar Gallery Monet.    -   3. Plants of the new Dahlia have smaller inflorescences than        plants of the cultivar Gallery Monet.    -   4. Plants of the new Dahlia have red purple-colored ray florets        whereas plants of the cultivar Gallery Monet have pink and white        bi-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Dahlia differ primarily from plants of the maleparent, the cultivar Gallery Art Nouveau, in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dahlia are shorter than plants of the        cultivar Gallery Art Nouveau.    -   2. Plants of the new Dahlia have smaller inflorescences than        plants of the cultivar Gallery Art Nouveau.    -   3. Plants of the new Dahlia and the cultivar Gallery Art Nouveau        differ in inflorescence form and ray floret coloration.

Plants of the new Dahlia can be compared to plants of the cultivarMelody Lizza, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted inLisse, The Netherlands, plants of the new Dahlia differed from plants ofthe cultivar Melody Lizza in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dahlia were more compact than plants of the        cultivar Melody Lizza.    -   2. Plants of the new Dahlia flowered earlier than plants of the        cultivar Melody Lizza.    -   3. Plants of the new Dahlia were more freely flowering than        plants of the cultivar Melody Lizza.    -   4. Plants of the new Dahlia had smaller inflorescences than        plants of the cultivar Melody Lizza.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Dahlia showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ from the color values cited in the detailedbotanical description which accurately describe the colors of the newDahlia.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Gallery Sisley’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typicalinflorescences and leaves of ‘Gallery Sisley’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The aforementionedphotographs and the following observations and measurements describeplants grown and flowered during the summer and early autumn in Lisse,The Netherlands, in an outdoor nursery and under conditions whichapproximate those generally used in commercial production. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures ranged between 15 and 30° C.and night temperatures ranged between 10 and 20° C. Plants were pinchedone time about three to four weeks after planting rooted cuttings.Plants were about four months old when the photographs and thedescription were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Dahlia hybrida cultivar Gallery Sisley.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Dahlia hybrida Gallery Monet,            disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,284.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Dahlia hybrida Gallery Art Nouveau,            disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,314.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Summer and winter: About 5 days at            17° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—Summer: About 14 days            at 17° C. Winter: About 17 days at 17° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous and well-branched; older            roots, fleshy.        -   Tuber description.—Shape: Fusiform. Clump diameter: About            25 cm. Color: Close to 199C.-   Plant description:    -   -   Appearance.—Perennial decorative-type potted Dahlia. Compact            and rounded plant habit; upright and somewhat outwardly            spreading. Freely branching habit, about eight basal            branches each with about four to six lateral branches            develop after pinching; dense and full plants. Vigorous            growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 25 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 25 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 20 cm. Diameter:            Towards base: About 6 mm. Towards apex: About 2 mm.            Internode length: About 2 to 4 cm. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Glabrous, smooth. Color: 146C; towards the apex,            blushed with 166A.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Leaves opposite; leaves            may be single or compound with three or five leaflets.            Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Attenuate. Margin:            Serrate; sinuses divergent. Length: Single leaves: About            4 cm. Compound leaves with three leaflets: About 10 cm.            Compound leaves with five leaflets: About 12 cm. Width:            Single leaves: About 3 cm. Compound leaves with three            leaflets: About 8 cm. Compound leaves with five leaflets:            About 9 cm. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Developing foliage,            upper surface: 146A. Developing foliage, lower surface:            147B. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 137A. Fully            expanded foliage, lower surface: 148B. Venation, upper            surface: 148A. Venation, lower surface: 146A. Petiole            length: Single leaves: About 8 mm. Compound leaves with            three leaflets: About 1.1 cm. Compound leaves with five            leaflets: About 2.5 cm. Petiole diameter: About 2 mm.            Petiole color, upper surface: 59B. Petiole color, lower            surface: 146C blushed with 59B.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Decorative inflorescence form; inflorescences            roughly hemispherical in profile. Inflorescences borne on            terminals, arising from leaf axils, positioned just above            the foliage. Ray and disc florets develop acropetally on the            receptacle. Inflorescences not fragrant. Inflorescences            persistent.        -   Flowering response.—Flowering recurrent to continuous during            the summer and autumn in The Netherlands. Plants start            flowering about 55 days after planting.        -   Postproduction longevity.—On the plant, inflorescences            maintain good color and substance for about 15 days in an            outdoor environment. As cut flowers, inflorescences maintain            good color and substance for about five days in an indoor            environment.        -   Quantity of inflorescences per flowering stem.—About five            open inflorescences and about five inflorescence buds per            flowering stem; about 40 inflorescences and inflorescence            buds per plant.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 9 cm. Depth (height):            About 5 cm. Diameter of disc: About 2.4 cm. Receptacle            diameter: About 1.4 cm. Receptacle height: About 1.1 cm.        -   Inflorescence buds.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About            1.3 cm. Shape: Oblate. Color: 158A, towards the base, 144A.        -   Ray florets.—Length, fully developed: About 3.5 cm. Width,            fully developed: About 1.4 cm. Orientation: Initially            upright, outer florets perpendicular to the peduncle to            somewhat reflexed. Shape: Ovate. Aspect: Longitudinal axis            concave; apex recurved. Apex: Rounded or acute. Base:            Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Number of ray florets            per inflorescence: About 120 arranged in about 15 rows.            Venation pattern: Parallel. Color: When opening, upper            surface: 61A. When opening, lower surface: Towards the apex,            61A; mid-section, 64A; towards the base, 2C. Fully opened,            upper surface: Towards the apex; close to 70B; mid-section,            155C overlain with 70B; towards the base, 1A. Fully opened,            lower surface: Towards the apex and mid-section, 64A;            towards the base, 155C.        -   Disc florets.—Number of disc florets per inflorescence:            About 20. Shape: Tubular, elongated. Apex: Five-pointed.            Base: Fused. Length: About 1.3 cm. Width: About 0.1 to            0.7 mm. Color: Immature: 160A. Mature: Apex: 21A.            Mid-section: 160A. Base: 151A.        -   Phyllaries.—Quantity: One whorl with about five phyllaries.            Shape: Roughly ovate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Attenuate.            Margin: Entire. Length: About 1.1 cm. Width: About 6 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper surface: 146A. Color, lower surface: 146C.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 8 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle:            Erect. Strength: Strong. Texture: Glabrous, smooth. Color:            151A blushed with 166A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets            only. Stamen quantity: About five per floret. Anther shape:            Linear. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther color: 17A. Pollen            amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 17B. Gynoecium: Present on            both ray and disc florets. Pistil quantity: One per floret.            Pistil length: About 4 mm. Stigma shape: Lanceolate. Stigma            color: 13B. Style length: About 3 mm. Style color: 150B.            Ovary color: 9C.        -   Seed.—Seed development has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to    Dahlias has not been observed on plants grown under commercial    greenhouse or outdoor conditions.-   Weather tolerance: Plants of the new Dahlia have been observed to be    very tolerant to wind, rain and full sun conditions. Plants of the    new Dahlia have been observed to tolerate temperatures from 0 to 40°    C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant named ‘Gallery Sisley’,as illustrated and described.